IRVINE, CA - Everyone seems to know that avocados are experiencing a renaissance as of late. In the past forty years, the avocado has traversed the tides of popular opinion—nearly quadrupling per capita consumption as it grew from an unfamiliar niche item to a fan-favorite fruit.

I spoke to Jan DeLyser, Vice President of Marketing with the California Avocado Commission (CAC), to learn more about the erstwhile-dubbed “alligator egg’s” impressive journey and the CAC’s 40th anniversary.

“Avocados have gone from—maybe a 2 lb per capita consumption—to well over 7 lb—almost 8 lb per capita, just in the United States,” said Jan. “I think you're just gonna see more and more of that.”

Jan explained to me that, in the not-so-faraway-past, guacamole had been considered “kind of ‘it’” for this creamy green treat. But in the past forty years, avocado usage has exploded—taking the chartreuse fruit across the lengths of the pizza pie and into the depths of the dagwood; the avocado has even penetrated into the icy snowscape of the ice cream world.

“I just think we're gonna continue to see usage ideas that are very creative,” Jan noted. “When I think of social media and all of the opportunities to have consumers communicate our messages in their voice. It's really exciting to think what the next 40 years brings.”

For more, watch our brief video interview above.

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California Avocado Commission